Dorothy G. Wayman Environmental Reporting Fellow

Falmouth Publishing, Inc.; Falmouth (MA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation stipend

Dedicated annual reporting budget

Professional development budget

Structured mentorship and quarterly PD

Job summary

The Enterprise Newspapers on Cape Cod invite applications for The Dorothy G. Wayman Fellowship — Environmental & Development Reporter. This 12-month full-time fellowship covers development and overdevelopment across the Upper Cape, with ownership of the beat and watchdog reporting on planning boards and environmental issues.

The Fellow will be mentored, set daily priorities, and translate regulatory material for the public while producing enterprise coverage and a major project by term end.

Qualifications

• 0–4 years of professional journalism experience and/or degree from journalism program or comparable field of study.
• Demonstrated strong writing ability with clear reporting.
• Ability to work independently and manage a beat with minimal supervision.
• Must have valid driver's license and reliable transportation for travel across the coverage region.

Responsibilities

• Beat ownership with autonomy and daily priority setting across planning/zoning boards and Cape Cod Commission.
• Develop regulatory literacy and file public records requests; analyze environmental/regulatory frameworks.
• Read and synthesize environmental impact reports, engineering studies, and related data; translate for general readers.
• Maintain regular beat coverage and pursue long-form investigative or enterprise projects.
• Develop sources and engage the community across four towns; build a newsroom-safe documentation trail.
• Participate in mentorship with editors and provide end-of-term transition materials.

Skills

Strong writing ability

Independent beat management

Driver's license & transportation

US work authorization

Education

Journalism degree or related program

Job description

The Dorothy G. Wayman Fellowship — Environmental & Development Reporter

Organization: The Enterprise Newspapers

Location: Falmouth, Massachusetts (relocation support available)

Employment Type: Full-Time, Fixed-Term (12 months)

Start Date: June 1, 2027

Compensation: $50,000, plus monthly housing stipend

About Us

The Enterprise is an independent hyperlocal newsroom serving Falmouth, Sandwich, Mashpee and Bourne on Cape Cod. We cover the news that matters in the day-to-day lives of our community members—what is happening in town and in town government, what decisions are being made, what is being developed and what effect these decisions and developments will have on Cape Cod’s environment, water quality and preserved spaces. Through a very generous grant, the Enterprise newsroom is expanding its capacity for to cover these issues, and is excited to bring sustained, in-depth accountability journalism on issues that matter most to our communities through this yearlong fellowship opportunity.

Position Summary

The Enterprise seeks a full-time Fellow to serve a 12-month term covering development and overdevelopment across the Upper Cape, and the effects of that growth on traffic, water quality, open space and habitat. This is a dedicated beat position, and the Fellow will hold primary ownership of it: setting daily coverage priorities, identifying emerging stories before they become public news, and maintaining the kind of ongoing situational awareness that comes only from staying continuously engaged with a beat rather than checking in periodically. The Fellow will provide sustained watchdog coverage of local boards including planning boards, conservation commissions and the Cape Cod Commission, specifically its regional review process, and translate technical and regulatory information into clear, accountable reporting for the public and will be expected to know what's moving through the pipeline—what's before which board, what's about to be filed, what residents are already talking about—well before it becomes a story.

This position is structured as a guided fellowship, combining full-time reporting responsibilities with structured mentorship and professional development, defined learning objectives, and regular performance reviews.

Key Responsibilities

• Beat ownership & autonomy — full responsibility for the beat; continuous awareness of what's moving through planning and zoning boards and the Cape Cod Commission, not just after a decision is made; independently sets daily priorities and keeps supervisor informed.
• Regulatory & public records literacy — develop regulatory literacy and working fluency specific to local bylaws and regional review processes; familiarity with filing public records requests and analyzing regulatory, environmental frameworks, and municipal data to support enterprise and accountability reporting; working fluency in Development of Regional Impact review process, zoning/permitting regulations and bylaws, environmental frameworks.
• Document, data & report analysis — reads/synthesizes environmental impact reports, engineering studies, wastewater/water-quality data, permitting filings, budgets; cross-references sources; translates complex material for a general reader.
• Coverage cadence & depth — regular meeting/hearing coverage for baseline visibility; layered investigative/enterprise/accountability projects— at least one major investigative or long-form project over the course of the fellowship term; maintains beat presence during long-form work.
• Source development & engagement — source network across all four towns; public engagement initiatives to keep finger on the pulse of community sentiment regarding projects.
• Mentorship & documentation — regular meetings with supervising editor; maintain accurate records, source logs, and documentation in accordance with newsroom standards; produce a written transition summary at the end of the fellowship term for continuity purposes.

Qualifications

Required:

• 0–4 years of professional journalism experience and/or degree from a two-, four-, or post-graduate level journalism program or comparable field of study.
• Demonstrated strong writing ability, with work samples showing clarity and sound reporting judgment.
• Ability to work independently and manage a beat with minimal day-to-day supervision.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation (this beat requires travel across our coverage region).
• Must be based in or willing to relocate to the Upper Cape area for in-person work
• Authorization to work in the United States

Preferred:

• Experience with public records requests or government/regulatory reporting.
• Familiarity with data analysis tools or willingness to learn.
• Demonstrated interest in environmental issues, land use, or local government.

Compensation & Benefits

• Compensation of $50,000 and a relocation stipend for candidates relocating to Cape Cod.
• Dedicated annual reporting budget
• Professional development budget
• Structured mentorship and quarterly professional development reviews.

The Enterprise Newspapers is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences, and we know that not all candidates will check all of these boxes—if that is you, please still apply! We want to hear from you.